FIFA officially unveiled the 2022 FIFPro Men’s World XI a few minutes ago, and Manchester City landed a trio on the list. The troika of Man City players to earn that plaudit is Kevin de Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Joao Cancelo.
Don’t expect any of them to start tomorrow night at Bristol City, where the two sides will meet for a FA Cup fifth round clash. Cancelo isn’t even on the team anymore, Haaland will get some rest here against a lower division side and De Bruyne is still finishing off an unspecified illness that has forced him out of the last two games.
Manchester City at Bristol City FYIs
Kickoff: Tues Feb 28, 8pm, Ashton Gate
Competition: FA Cup 5th Round/Round of 16
Team News for Both Sides: go here
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Fun Fact: this is the first ever meeting between the two sides in the FA Cup
Stat Pack: Bristol have reached this round 14 times, and have lost 13 of those 14 times
While manager Pep Guardiola has deemed the Belgian midfield maestro match fit, this game will be about squad rotation, because that’s what you do against the minnows. This is what that squad rotation looks like right now.
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction at Bristol City (FA Cup 5th Rd)
Ortega; Lewis, Dias, Ake, Gomez; Silva, Phillips, Gundogan; Mahrez, Alvarez, Foden
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.